Effective Engineering Manager
Root Cause Analysis with 5 Whys
We share blameless Root Cause Analysis, or RCA, as one of the most powerful tools available to engineering managers that help to eliminate production incidents and resolve quality challenges. We go over what an RCAs is, the benefits, the process of doing RCAs using "5 Whys" technique, and the best practices. In the end, we provide a checklist to help engineering managers to implement the RCA effectively.
Building Managers: The Right Motivation
We share the key reasons and motivators for pursuing a engineering leadership position. Before you take on transitioning someone's or your own career to engineering management, check if you have the right motivations and strengths needed to take on the role.
Performance Reviews: The Easy Way
We share a low-effort, highly effective approach to creating great performance reviews that we call Engineer's Diary.
Team Building: Know What You Need To Build A Team
Learn how to identify what you need based on the team you currently have.
Effective SDLC: Engineering Checklist
We provide a do-or-die checklist for an effective SDLC that allows teams building software that customers love to use and engineers never have to worry about.
Team Building: No All-Star Teams
We provide guidance on how to understand and avoid building All-Star Teams. In the end we share a checklist that engineering managers can use to build complementary teams, not all-star teams.
Effective One-One-Ones: 1:1s with New Boss
We provide practical guidance on avoiding risks associated with 1:1s with a new boss. This continues the series on the Effective One-On-Ones. We also recommend checking out EEM episode "Practicing Observe and Absorb" that will help you to plan and implement a strategy for managing 1:1s with your new boss.
Building Teams: The Kudos Program
We provide a practical guidance on how to build engaged teams by implementing a Kudos program. In the end we share a checklist that engineering managers can use to implement the Kudos program immediately
Effective One-on-Ones: Structuring 1:1s
Practical suggestions on structuring 1:1s. Structure your 1:1s as 20 minutes to be your directs' and 10 minutes to be yours. Let your direct reports decide what they want to talk about. Avoid assigning work during your 1:1s.
Building Teams: Birthdays and Lunches
We provide recommendations on two powerful yet easy to implement approaches to maintain the human connections and the spirit of camaraderie in a team, celebrating birthdays and going to lunches. This is the first episode in the series dedicated to the most important activity any engineering manager is responsible for, building and maintaining effective teams.